Turkey Day was fabulous. Delicious meal, nice family time and I reunited with the Prince (he’s been in Houston for a month while I’ve been jet-setting around the country. Great time, but I’m totally over it. IT’S CHRISTMASTIME NOW!

I saw this commercial for the first time this year yesterday, which means holiday time is upon us all. I heart this commercial. It’s a little pop culture tidbit that signifies holiday spirit and joy for me. Effective immediately, I’m in full-time Christmas mode. It’s all Chirstmas, all the time. In previous years manfriend has found my behavior “a little bit insane.” It’s go time boyfriend, so just get on board.

The following items are on my to-do list for the week to kick of the holiday time:

Revamp my holiday sweater collection to include new 2009 additions.

Decorate apartment and cubicle to be the most festive/obnoxious possible.

Brainstorm Christmas card ideas for me and the prince. He tends to only be willing to do one take, so any photoshoot must be well orchestrated.

Go to a mall to absorb the Christmasy-ness.

Buy egg nog.

Try to get my little butt to the gym so I don’t resemble the actual Santa Claus as much as last year.

There will be more updates to come, so just know that festivity is in all of your future. Merry Merry Christmas Poodleism-ers!

Although Thanksgiving isn’t until tomorrow, I’ve been thinking all week about all the awesome things I have to be thankful for on top of my normal thank you’s for health and prosperity. Here’s a quick run-down:

A fabulous family and manfriend. 2009 has had some bumpy parts. I never would’ve made it to another Turkey Day with out them. Hopefully next year they’ll be thankful for my love and support, I’ve been the needy one this year.

The prince. He can’t read blogs, so I’ll just communicate my thanks to him with treats and cuddles. He keeps me sane. Sometimes I get stressed out and my precious little companion makes me happy.

My friends. Although some of my BFFs are afar these days, I’m thankful that they love me enough to text, call, chat…whatever. I need their thoughts to keep on truckin’ sometimes. New friends have made me feel so welcome and at home in Dallas. I appreciate that and should tell them more.

I’m one lucky little lady to have a job that I like going to everyday. This time last year I wasn’t a happy camper professionally. I’ve come along way, and I’m grateful to have a job at all. Also thanks to the carpoolers for being such good new Dallas friends.

Sunday morning I went to see New Moon. I thought that 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday would be the best time to eliminate screaming tweens from my New Moon experience so I could absorb it to my fullest capabilities. It also only costs $5 to see a movie before noon. I don’t even want to approach how old it makes me feel to be avoiding crowds and tickets prices like this. But, I digress…. It’s taken me the full 72 hours to synthesize my thoughts on the matter.

My general read is that the movie was spectacular. There wasn’t anything left out of the book. And it’s a long book. You got all the details that the first movie lacked. It was amazing. I shrieked like a girl when Edward first came on screen. I guess I’m the person I was trying to avoid at the earlybird special. The effects were awesome. There was, magic, fighting, a band of werewolves, sexual tension galore; all the things I love about Twilight were there.

One nice bonus was Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black in the movie). That boy literally transformed himself into a whole other thing. He was the steamiest sexiest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Like it made me uncomfortable to be looking at him in a crowded theater. And he's only like 16 years old. I’m confused about whether I’m on Team Edward still….who am I kidding, Edward is my only true love in Forks. But fabulous showing from Taylor Lautner. Bravo.

I only have one knock. The movie was so incredibly intense. Every single memorable powerful line of dialogue from the book was included, but without the 100-page buildup that make it possible in text. This amounted to 2 hours of the most tortured, passionate, dangerous…and thus exhausting, hours of my life. At times I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. But that could’ve been the in-movie latte.

All the drama caused manfriend to cackle in delight. I don’t think we really got the same sort of experience, but he was a good sport. Guess I owe him a couple Monday Night footballs in return.

Hurry up and get here Eclipse, I’m waiting. And I promise I'll put Twilight to bed on Poodleism until then.

So I just returned from an actual business trip and am confused about when I became this jet-setting person (Miami to Dallas to Boston to Dallas in 5 days), but I think I like it.

My boss invited me to Boston to present our company to a prospective client. We went up there the day before the meeting so to be fresh and rejuvenated fro the meeting. We flew 1st class, which was a cornucopia of awesome-ness in itself, but there really isn’t much more awkward than traveling alone with a 60 year old married man who is also your boss. Trust me, it’s the ultimate recipe for being ill at ease.

All the discomfort aside, I think I did really awesome in our presentation and he finally maybe thought that I’m not some young idiot with heartthrobs (Hello, Edward) splattered all over my cubicle. I’m really proud of my little professional stride, and hopefully it will translate into a bonus. I loved feeling like a smart, professional, large-and-in-charge lady on the go (Playing in my head all day long: ♫“I’m every woman, its all in MEEEEEEEEE” ♪).

When I got back home to my apartment at the end of the day, I looked down at myself in a full business suit, with my rollerbag and laptop case, and wondered “Who am I” (cue Zoolander puddle reflection moment). I find it infinitely humorous that I was more comfortable in my Tweedle Dee costume than in my adult costume. A good pal at work told me to “Fake it ‘til I make it,” which is pretty good advice. I guess I’m still faking it, but maybe not.

As a side note, I'm one lucky little ducky. Manfriend was so proud he greeted me with flowers and wine. Maybe he was rewarding me for finally growing up a little....Either way, it was mega sweet.

I look forward to the next trip, but I’m not ready to give up Edward in my cubicle. So take that!!!

By far the best aspect of my tropical getaway was all the fun and debauchery with two of my BFFFs. It was great to go see the new paradise-like home of my pal. I don't have any flipping clue how she is a successful medical student there. All of Miami (or at least my short party-loaded time there) is like going on vacation.

We got to go to the beach twice! The first time it was in the evening, so the tide was high and kind of erradic. The waves crashed up and got us all soaked and washed manfriend's shoes away with the water. We got them back, but wet sandy sneakers isn't a party. There really isn't much more humbling than having the ocean literally sneak up on you. I think I was just drunk on the paradise-ness.

Another fabulous thing was meeting the first (or so I assume) stranger fan of Poodleism. He's Andrea's good pal. He's super nice. He's a cubano. He clearly appreciates excelently crafted wit. He's fabulous.

All in all, I wish I could jet set around the coutnry to visit my loved ones and make new friends more often. I guess that kind of goes without saying. Great time. Needed the vacay.

¡Bienvenido a Miami! (press play on the video below before you proceed for the themesong...if you can't tell, I'm proud of newfound ability include video)

Today I'm furiously preparing for a hotly anticipated vacay to Miami to visit one of my all time favorite BFFs for her birthday. Below is her being her hilarious self. Another BFF and all three manfriends will be coming along too. It should be a reunion for the ages, except unfortunately one crucial member of our posse couldn't make it from NYC. Booo. We'll have to settle for a tripod.

Anyway, today my mind is wandering into dreamland imagining all the copious amounts of spiciness and fun in my future. There will be memory-making, debauchery and hopefully tropical paradise-inspired cocktails. I hope I see at least one Cubana rollerblading down Southbeach wearing a thong bikini (Hell, it may even be me!). I don't know why, but that's just what I imagine Miami to be like. I hope its true.

More than the fun, I'm so stinking excited to see my true besties from college that I can barely stand it. I'm so not adjusted to the real world, or my new Dallas life really, and being in my comfy place with my friends means so much to me these days. I can't. flipping. wait. It feels like its my birthday!

Hello Veterans! Don't know if this will reach any of you...but I want to say thanks. Me and the prince couldn't enjoy all of the delightful things we could with out you, so from us both...THANKS A MILLION! If any of you were here today, I assure you, the prince would do this:

Special shout out to my Pa-Paw and Granddad for fighting for us in WWII. (Probably the only way this message would reach them was if Bill O'Reilly was reading it, which wouldn't even happen over my dead body, but it's the thought that counts) And thanks more for getting back safely so I could be born some day. Without you veterans we wouldn't have some great things. As much as it irritates me sometimes, there would be no Bill O'Reilly, no Congress to fight about healthcare, no voting on the congressmen we put in there to duke it out. Deep down those are some awesome things. Heart you veterans.

This research asserts that “gloominess breeds attentiveness and careful thinking” and a “mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodative and ultimately more successful communication style.” Aaaaaah…..so that explains it.

My doctor friend turned me onto this tidbit, so you know it’s good. Admittedly I’m a glass-half-empty kind of person. Manfriend often accuses me of being negative…he’s not the only person who’s observed that, although upbeat, I generally prepare for the worst. In addition to this probably being unpleasant to those around me, I firmly believe this negative disposition is contributing to the visible signs of aging. Or maybe the visible signs of aging are making me grumpy. That one is hard to tell.

Anyway, upon reading this, I think there may be some truth to it. A positive disposition has a slew of perks, but now it may seem that been a little bit disgruntled actually leads to stronger communication and decision-making skills. Two things I think I’m good at. But does that mean that I’m grouchier than I know? (Stark introspection happening now).

I think I’ll now use Facebook to look for all the grumps I know ponder whether these theories are true. Either way, I’m probably over-thinking this, but that’s because I’m grouchy that I’ve had an annoying day.